Kalamazoo Kingdom soccer club to be North American headquarters for Manchester United's Meulensteen

PORTAGE – Two years ago, Kalamazoo Kingdom soccer club owner Chris Keenan was looking for a curriculum which would train all ages of players.

He found it and more thanks to the most recognized soccer organization in the world.

On Wednesday evening, Keenan was set to announce an affiliation with Manchester United's top training coach, Rene Meulensteen, to teach the club’s players how to perform at the highest level.

Also, the Kingdom, Erwin van Elst of Grand Rapids and Meulensteen have formed Sports Partners North America as a new business venture to sell the Meulensteen Academy training information to other clubs.

“It’s easy when you have 100 kids in your program and five coaches to have a common theme,’’ Keenan said. “But when you have 400 kids starting at the age of 6 or 7 through 17, you need a more common thread and you must have a solid curriculum.

“People in our business know who Rene is and know he’s had unbelievable success in building talent. We now have high level soccer organizations from Vancouver to New York City interested in bringing this curriculum to their clubs.’’

The Kingdom Indoor Center (KIC), 8151 Merchant Place in Portage, will be the North American headquarters to train coaches in Meulensteen’s methods.

“The things I see Sports Partners doing is the potential to add jobs in that coaches will be flying into Kalamazoo to be certified in Rene’s system, and we will need people to do the teaching,’’ Keenan said. “There is the potential to add onto the existing building as we grow.’’

Meulensteen has been with Manchester United for most of the past 11 years. When he was hired in 2001, he was put in charge of changing United’s approach to coaching children in the club’s Academy, concentrating on the technical areas of the game.

He has also worked with such soccer superstars as Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy at Manchester United.

“After seeing this program, I knew we needed it for our club, but we were in uncharted territory because we were the first ones to commit to this full time,’’ Keenan said. “Not every child is going to be Wayne Rooney, but every child can be the best they can be with this program.

“The thing I liked about it is that he contacted professors from the University of Manchester in the child development and motor skills areas to find out the best way for this program to succeed. Ages and stages is what Rene calls it.’’

Meulensteen will be in Kalamazoo for a players training camp on June 15 and 16.